D100 Things Overheard In A Tavern
1. Dragon? What Dragon?
2. That lady over there, I wouldn’t
talk to her, one time she turned me
into a rabbit.
3. Honestly I saw this strange ghost,
nearly crapped my pants!
4. Yes everyone knows about that old
hermit, he lives by himself. Oh?
You’ve never heard of him, let me
tell yah.
5. The ground shook last night! I
thought for a heartbeat it might
have been something I ate!
6. One time this bloke strolls up and
tells me that he was marooned on
an island! And that he rode some
sea turtles or something, I figured
he’d had a few too many.
7. Weirdest thing, the lights in the
night sky. For the most part they
look like a beautiful reflection,
something the gods dreamed up,
but the other night I swear I saw
something moving up there.
8. The barley soup at the local tavern
will cure just about any ailment, I
had a wart on my foot the size of
my big toe! It was gone the day
after yesterday.
9. That old priestess I’ve see her
walking at night, talking to herself.
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10. Nah it's just a myth that most
cemeteries are haunted. You know
what is really haunted? My love
life!
11. Normally I wouldn’t tell you this,
but you seem like decent folk.
12. There was a thief hanging around
the market lately, I was the one
who found him out. Caught him
red handed, and told him to give
me half, I did!
13. One time I danced with a sprite, at
least I thought it was a
sprite…. They are pretty big aren’t
they?
14. I swear to the gods! There was a
little leprechaun behind the tavern
having himself a piss. I said “Hey
Buddy!”
15. That old horse of mine, she’s been
around for years, my grandfather
gave it to me, it was his horse! Can
you believe that?
16. I never gamble. Although…..
17. Saw some giant tracks the other
day, right outside of my house!
18. Keep an eye out for those town
guards, they’ll shake you down!
19. Caught the biggest fish the other
day, no word of a lie, it was this……
big!
20. I said “you know what, I don’t
believe your prophecies!” And all
they did was dismiss me, and
walked away. Can you believe
that?
21. I wouldn’t let anyone down, I’ve
spent my life keeping people alive.
22. We are always looking for
farmhands, all we ever get is
henchmen around here, what is up
with that?
23. I could do with a few less
adventurer’s in this town, they
come in and drink all the good ale!
24. That blacksmith is making a suit of
gold armour! Well at least I think it
was gold anyways, it was really
shiney!
25. You know what is weird, it's like
there’s a sense of something else
going on, like we are all in the
imagination of some mad genius, is
it just me?
26. Never seen a mermaid, I saw a goat
swim once though.
27. Are you so sure about everyone in
your group?
28. Honestly this town needs an
enema, or something like that, Is
there a potion that we can get for
those stuffy political types?
29. The only way to earn your keep
around here is to get down to
work, traipsing all over the
countryside adventuring, that’s not
work! Plowing fields is work.
30. I don’t have any silly superstitions
about my gambling dice.
31. I was out hunting the other day,
came across a bunch of deer south
of the town.
32. Saw a bloke on the road, he was
trying to sell me a bag of beans,
told him to go the other way, i
don’t need any beans! I’ve got a
whole field full of em.
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33. Why is it that princess’s always get
kidnapped and dragged off? How
come you never hear of some fancy
pants prince getting
kidnapped? You know if I was apt
to it, I might try that. Rewrite a bit
o’ history.
34. I heard about this old book, well
my neighbour was talking about
this old book. Sounded kind of
interesting, but I can’t read. Weird
runes in it.
35. There was never anything to
worry about, they made this big
deal about what went down.
36. Maybe we ought to think this thru,
you’re telling me that you saw a
bunch of werewolves the other
night, and the guard doesn’t want
to do anything about it. And now
you're saying you want to go out
and kill them?
37. I’d like a snack, something cheezie.
38. I’ve got to get up early tomorrow,
lots to do. Digging ditches, and
graves.
39. I tend to wonder if all these
shadowy guilds really
exist. You’ve heard of the
assassins & the thieves guilds, are
they really that organized?
40. WHAT HO! That’s what this guy
always says every time he walks
in, I don’t even know what that
means? Do you?
41. It seems like there is always
someone begging the local priest
to get healed. What are these
people doing all the time?
42. You ever notice that one in every
two pirates you meet has a peg leg
or arm? That’s odd isn’t it?
43. It’s really about the details, and the
raspberry jam.
44. That old myth about trolls turning
into stone from the sunshine is
false
45. I kid you not, she had a head full of
snakes!
46. You ever lit oil on fire and thrown
it? It’s hilarious!
47. No I haven’t seen your kids, you
should really go out and find
them. That’s not the best
parenting.
48. And I said “yeah it's one of a
kind”, hahahah.
49. So there I was mind my own
business and all of a sudden this
strange cat shows up in a tree.
50. Never underestimate a pissed off
barbarian, or my wife for that
matter!
51. You should probably spend some
time fixing up your armour, it’s
barely holding together.
52. There is this river, that runs down
from the mountains, amazing
tasting water, but it’s green. Like
lime green!
53. Nope I’ve never heard of that god,
are you sure you have the spelling
right?
54. Everything is possible within
reason, it honestly depends on
your outlook. Oh and what time it
is.
55. You should have seen his face
when I told him he was
invisible. That mad hatter ran
across the street to steal tomatoes.
56. I’ve never met a goblin with a
sense of humour.
57. I swear every time I meet an
adventurer, they tell me about
falling into pit traps, who designed
all these things? Why do you keep
falling into them? You would think
once is enough right?
58. Nope never mind… I think I just
saw an illusion. Wait a second….
59. You know what’s really
stupid? Trying to sleep out in the
wilderness.
60. That was the worst case of
bedbugs I’ve ever had!
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61. Pardon me? Yes do you know if
there’s any grey mustard at this
tavern?
62. Why do all wizards have beards
anyways? Is that some kind of
ritualistic club thing that I don’t
know about? And why the moldy
towers in the middle of nowhere?
63. Sure you saw a vampire, sure.
64. I think that guy over there has a
tunic that says NPC, I’d talk to him.
65. Don’t you find it odd that there’s
always a gent sitting in the corner
with his hood up trying to not
attract any attention to himself?
66. You’re going to have to speak up,
that damn bard was playing
bagpipes again!
67. I think you're mistaking me for
someone who cares.
68. It was an incredibly uplifting
religious experience!
69. Why are you hopping on one foot?
Or never mind, I think I’ve had too
much to drink. What can I do for
you?
70. You couldn’t pay me enough to go
into that cave, smelled like bad
cheese!
71. My uncle hugged a bugbear once.
72. That lady serving the drinks,
whatever you do don’t call her by
her first name. It’s Shirley, don’t
do it though.
73. That is the absolute last time I
drink in this establishment!
74. Hey you big lug, wanna arm
wrestle?
75. Hold my beer while I kiss your elf.
76. Everyone knows there’s no such
thing as lizard men, old ladies
made that up to scare their
grandkids.
77. I’m not saying that I’m the king, I’m
just saying have you ever seen us
both in a room at the same time?
78. I hear that Orc’s dance when they
beat up adventurers, is that true?
 79. So there we were sitting in the
“Green Dragon”, our feet up on a
stool, listening to some good
music, and in walks this great big
guy who’s quite grumbly!
80. Most of the stories you will hear in
here are unlikely and in some
cases lies.
81. If you’re ever on fire, stop, drop
and roll. Well that is unless its
magical fire, then I have no idea.
82. The god’s must seriously be crazy!
83. I like knitting, do you?
84. Ever drank whiskey with a dwarf?
I have! And I still have a hangover.
85. There’s this long story about a
sword and a stone, I don’t really
want to get into it.
86. Some days you’re the knight, some
days you’re the dragon.
87. Never once did I say that. I did
say…
88. Alright we’ve all heard the story
about “breeyark”, if you don’t
know what it means by now,
you’re an idgit.
89. But of course there’s a merchant
looking for a caravan guard, why
do you ask?
90. See this here scar? I got that when
I was running from direwolf. Good
thing there was a tree I could up!
If you liked these, you can grab the other 2 random tables I created below:
d100 things found in pockets
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91. Remember to always have
someone like an elf or a dwarf in
your party, those types can see in
the dark!
92. There’s a local farmer, sells some
pretty good rations, if you’re going
out on a hike.
93. Best sleep ever! No it wasn’t in
this Inn, I’m just saying I slept
really well last night.
94. I’ve heard that some merchants
will pay good gold for Minotaur
horns.
95. <The patron is deaf> he signs
something to you.
96. HICUP! Well that was well brought
up.
97. Pretend I’ve never met you
before. Alright now go away.
98. I was thinking about having a look
around some old ruins. What do
you say, want to come along?
99. If you ever find one of those bags
of holding, don’t ever put another
bag of holding into it. Bad idea.
100. SCREAMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!! AHHHHHHK! “Can someone
get this arrow out of my
shoulder???
d100 mildly plausible background
stories for Old School Characters